Young Indigenous mother breaks silence about recruitment by Blood Family Mafia

Noovo Info reporter Marie-Claude Paradis-Desfossés sits down with a young Quebec mother who was recruited by the Blood Family Mafia. (Noovo Info)

A young Indigenous mother from the Montreal area says she lives every day in fear of the Blood Family Mafia (BFM) gang.

She agreed to speak under the pseudonym “Julie” to tell her story and raise awareness about being recruited by criminal groups to sell drugs on Montreal’s North Shore.

“BFM, they’re the ones who would come after me,” she tells Noovo Info. “They say I owe them money, but I don’t see how.”

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Speaking on condition of anonymity, the mother admits she was attracted to the idea of selling drugs because of the potential financial benefits.

“It was easier for me to sell (drugs) than to sell my body,” said Julie, who has been sober for nearly a year now.

After initially selling narcotics for the Hells Angels, she says BFM quickly took over the region north of Montreal.

Julie explains that the group, formerly led by Dave “Pic” Turmel, is extremely violent.

“They pull out their guns and go beat people up when you don’t pay,” she said. “We’re afraid they’ll come after us. It’s not like it used to be.”

Julie says arson attacks in November in the Innu community of Uashat mak Mani-Utenam have also shaken her, adding that she believes she may have been one of the targets.

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“After the fires, I was afraid,” she said. “Apparently, my name was mentioned in connection with the incident. It’s a good thing that I have cameras at home.”

According to a source familiar with the case, one of the buildings that burned down in mid-November was occupied by Shannon Regis, an alleged dealer known to police.

He was arrested and charged last July with assault and false imprisonment in a cottage in Maliotenam, along with three other suspects.

One of them was David Bouchard-Michel, also known as Mizery, a rapper linked to the Blood Family Mafia.

Increasing violence

There is no denying that violence has increased in the region, according to several sources interviewed by Noovo Info.

They say the reality has changed for those already working with vulnerable people, including aiding more individuals experiencing psychological distress.

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The fear is that other dire consequences, such as cases of women falling victim to pimping, could soon follow.

“Organized crime brings with it the possibility of recruiting vulnerable young women here,” one source explains. “We’re thinking of Indigenous communities or women with lower incomes. The more aware the population is, the more likely they are to seek help.”

Julie’s message

Hugging her young child tight, Julie tears up and delivers a powerful message to anyone going through a similar experience:

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“You think you’re strong because of it, but it’s not worth the love of your family and your children,” she said. “I lost everything because of it. I lost the trust of my mother and my foster families. People should stay away from it. We can get by without dirty money.”